The Miami Dolphins have announced several changes to their coaching staff today. Former assistant special teams coach Darren Rizzi has been promoted to special teams coordinator, Karl Dorrell is now the quarterbacks coach after directing the team’s wide receivers, former offensive quality control coach Steve Bush is now the wide receivers coach, Dave Fipp has become the assistant special teams coach, Tony Sparano Jr. has been named offensive quality control coach and Ike Hilliard has joined the team as assistant wide receivers coach.
Rizzi enters his third season as both an NFL assistant as a member of the Dolphins’ coaching staff. He joined the Dolphins as assistant special teams coach in 2009. In his tenure at Miami, two members of the special teams (Dan Carpenter and John Denney) were named to the Pro Bowl. After Rizzi took over the special teams in week five, the Dolphins improved in almost every major statistical special teams category, including net and gross punt average, punt and kick return average, average drive start and opponent’s gross and net punt average. Rizzi has four years of experience as a college head coach, including the 2008 season at the University of Rhode Island and the 1999-2001 seasons at New Haven.
Dorrell enters his fourth season on the Dolphins’ coaching staff, having joined the club in 2008 following a five-year stint as head coach at UCLA. He previously served as the team’s wide receivers coach from 2008-10.
Bush enters his fourth season as an NFL assistant, the previous three years with Miami as the offensive quality control coach. Prior to joining the Dolphins, he experienced a successful 26-year run as a coach at both the high school and collegiate levels.
Fipp joins Miami after spending three seasons (2008-10) with the San Francisco 49ers as their assistant special teams coach. He played a substantial role in taking the 49ers special teams unit to new heights. In 2009, punter Andy Lee earned his second Pro Bowl selection after ranking second in the NFL in gross punting average (47.6) and net punting average (41.0). Known as a special teams ace, running back Michael Robinson was named a Pro Bowl alternate as a specialist for his work in all phases of special teams, marking the second consecutive season he had earned the recognition. Prior to joining the 49ers, Fipp worked with the San Jose State Spartans for three seasons. He served as defensive coordinator during his final year and previously held the title of co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the Spartans.
Fipp joined the Spartan staff after spending the 2004 season at the University of Nevada as the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He also served as the defensive coordinator at Cal Poly from 2002 to 2003 after starting out as the Mustangs’ defensive backs coach in 2001.
Prior to the 2000 season, Fipp returned to his alma mater, the University of Arizona, as a graduate assistant and coached the safeties. Fipp began his coaching career at College of the Holy Cross as a secondary coach and special teams coordinator in 1998.
A 1997 graduate from the University of Arizona, Fipp played for the Wildcats from 1994 to 1997. He led Arizona’s special teams unit in tackles as a sophomore in 1995 and was the Wildcats’ starting free safety in 1996 and 1997. The 1997 Wildcats were among the top defensive units in the Pacific-10 Conference and ranked 12th nationally in rushing defense. He and his wife, Jenny, have two daughters, Ashlee and Lilly, and a son, Tyler.
Sparano Jr. joins Miami after spending 2010 with the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League. He came to the UFL after a successful playing career at the University of Albany. Sparano Jr. received three varsity letters at defensive end, where he was first on the depth chart and made 24 appearances. He was honored with a place on the 2008 ESPN The Magazine All-District I Academic Team following his junior season. Also in his junior season, he was part of an Albany defense that held six opponents under 100 yards rushing, leading them to be ranked 19th nationally among FCS schools in that category.
Hilliard joins Miami after two seasons (2009-10) with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. After serving as a volunteer with the Tuskers in 2009, Hillard was elevated to the position of receivers coach for 2010. A first round selection in the 1997 NFL Draft (7th pick overall), Hilliard played 12 seasons in the National Football League for the New York Giants (1997-2004) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-08). In 161 career games (106 starts), Hilliard caught 546 passes for 6,387 yards and 35 touchdowns. With the University of Florida, Hilliard played three seasons (1994-96), catching 126 passes for 2,214 yards and 26 touchdowns. In his junior year, Hilliard earned first-team All-SEC and All-America honors. He capped the season with seven catches for 150 yards and three touchdowns in leading Florida to a 52-20 Sugar Bowl win over Florida State as the Gators captured their first national championship. Hilliard is a native of Patterson, La. and is the nephew of former New Orleans Saints running back Dalton Hilliard.
Steve Bush’s Coaching Career
1982-83 Southern Connecticut State – Graduate Assistant
1984-85 Springfield College – Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Coach
1986-87 New Haven – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
1988-89 Boston University – Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Coach
1990-92 Longmeadow (Mass.) High School – Head Coach
1993-99 Manalapan (NJ) High School – Head Coach
2000-04 Syracuse University – Defensive Backs Coach (2000)
Quarterbacks Coach (2001-04)
2008-10 Miami Dolphins – Offensive Quality Control Coach
2011 Miami Dolphins – Wide Receivers Coach
Karl Dorrell’s Coaching Career
1988 UCLA –Graduate Assistant
1989 Central Florida – Wide Receivers Coach
1990-91 Northern Arizona – Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach
1992-93 Colorado – Wide Receivers Coach
1994 Arizona State – Wide Receivers Coach
1995-98 Colorado – Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach
1999 Washington – Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach
2000-02 Denver Broncos – Wide Receivers Coach
2003-07 UCLA – Head Coach
2008-10 Miami Dolphins – Wide Receivers Coach
2011 Miami Dolphins – Quarterbacks Coach
David Fipp’s Coaching Career
1998-99 College of the Holy Cross – Special Teams Coordinator/Secondary Coach
2000 University of Arizona – Graduate Assistant Coach
2001 Cal Poly – Assistant Coach
2002-03 Cal Poly – Defensive Coordinator
2004 Nevada – Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Coach
2005-06 San Jose State – Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
2007 San Jose State – Defensive Coordinator
2008-10 San Francisco 49ers – Assistant Special Teams Coach
2011 Miami Dolphins – Assistant Special Teams Coach
Ike Hilliard’s Coaching Career
2009 Florida Tuskers – Volunteer Coach
2010 Florida Tuskers – Wide Receivers Coach
2011 Miami Dolphins – Assistant Wide Receivers Coach
Darren Rizzi’s Coaching Career
1993 Colgate – Graduate Assistant
1994-97 New Haven – Special Teams/Defensive Line Coach (1994-96)
New Haven – Defensive Coordinator (1997)
1998 Northeastern – Special Teams/Linebackers Coach
1999-2001 New Haven – Head Coach
2002-07 Rutgers – Special Teams/ Running Backs Coach (2002-03)
Rutgers – Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs Coach (2004)
Rutgers – Linebackers/Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams (2005-06)
Rutgers – Outside Linebackers/Special Teams/Associate Head Coach (2007)
2008 Rhode Island – Head Coach
2009-10 Miami Dolphins – Assistant Special Teams Coach
2011 Miami Dolphins – Special Teams Coordinator
Tony Sparano Jr.’s Coaching Career
2010 Hartford Colonials – Assistant Defensive Line Coach
2011 Miami Dolphins – Offensive Quality Control Coach